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Plend

“Can an open-banking-powered ethical lender become the embedded credit infrastructure layer for UK consumer platforms, replacing high-cost BNPL with affordable, longer-term personal loans?”

Founded2020
HQLondon, United Kingdom
Total raised$46.6M
IndustryFintech / Lending
The story

Founded in 2020 as a direct-to-consumer open-data personal lender in the UK, Plend developed the PLEND Score® — a proprietary affordability model that uses open banking transaction data rather than traditional credit scores. By 2024, Plend pivoted toward a B2B2C infrastructure play by launching 'powered by Plend®', an embedded credit API that lets third-party platforms integrate Plend's lending decisioning, KYC, and funding infrastructure as a BNPL alternative for their own users. The company holds B Corp certification, distinguishing itself on ethical lending grounds.

Last 12 months
2024-06
Product timeline
2020
Plend Limited incorporated in England and Wales (company number 12581855) as an open-data consumer lender.· lending
2024
Launched 'powered by Plend®', an embedded credit API enabling partner organisations to offer BNPL-alternative lending in their own user journeys.· lending
Regulated entities
Consumer Credit Authorisation (FCA)
UK FCA
Plend Limited
The stack
Banking / BaaS
Griffin
Lending
PLEND Score® personal loans (direct-to-consumer)powered by Plend® embedded credit API (B2B2C, BNPL alternative)Longer-term affordable personal loans (open-banking affordability assessed)
Open banking
GriffinGocardless
Accounting gap: none